BACKGROUND
One of the keystone mountains of the Sierra Madre, particularly in its southwest section, Mt. Irid inTanay, Rizal is located near the the tripartite boundary of Bulacan, Rizal, and Quezon. Rising to 1467 MASL (1441-1469m in some accounts), it towers above other Rizal destinations such as Mt. Sembrano (769m) and the nearby Mt. Batolusong. With lush, second growth dipterocarp forests reminiscent of Mt. Banahaw, and an outstanding array of flora and fauna, Mt. Irid offers a deeper immersion to the woods for the Manila hiker used to the likes of Pico de Loro and Mt. Maculot. Nepenthes sp. and Rafflesia sp. if you’re lucky and at the right time – will delight botanists, while the crown-bellied fruit dove, Luzon bleeding-heart, and the Rufous hornbill are just some of the avian wonders awaiting birders. As for hikers, its forested ascent and eleven river crossings likewise offers a greater challenge, making it either an intense dayhike, at par with a Banahaw or Tapulao dayhike, or a most worthy overnighter – possibly in combination with Mt. Tukduan Banoi. The scenic views at the top make it well worth the effort, and given its elevation, the views are similar, but arguably grander than that of Mt. Pamitinan.

Access to Mt. Irid has never been easy. In the past, armed insurgency has dissuaded many hikers from considering the Sierra Madre as a hiking destination in general, and eastern Tanay in particular. To date, the area remains militarised, and it is not uncommon for the mountain to be closed due to ‘encounters’. However, the military is now cooperating with the barangay and allowing passage to hikers, and there has never been any report of unpleasant encounters with insurgents.

The trail to Mt. Irid traditionally begins from Brgy. Sta. Ines, which as of 2015 is accessible only by rough roads transected by several steams. From Brgy. Sta. Ines, hikers would pass through two sitios (villages): Sitio Kinabuan and Sitio Sadlac. Kinabuan has a namesake waterfalls, Kinabuan Falls, that is a nice sidetrip, while a little past Sitio Sadlac, 2-3 hours away from Brgy. Sta. Ines, is the traditional camping ground. There are stores for basic commodities as well as water sources in both villages.

Past Sitio Sadlac is where the real hike begins. After going up some agricultural slopes, the trail enters a beautiful forest with a continuous ascent all the way to the summit. The forest, typical of Sierra Madre mountains, is teeming with wildlife, including limatik (leeches) that are more of a nuisance than harm. Over 800 meters is gained in this manner, topping a total of 1200m of altitude gain. The upper reaches are rocky and very slippery when wet.

At the summit, the limestone formations offers splendid views of the (still) verdant Sierra Madre mountains, and a glimpse of the Southern Tagalog region, including Laguna de Bay and some of the prominent peaks such as Mt. Banahaw (SSE) and Mt. Makiling (SSW). And of course on the opposite side lie the nameless, countless peaks of the range. What a great reward after a nice hike! Indeed Mt. Irid is a highly-recommended first major hike in the Sierra Madre!

Public (1) Van, EDSA Crossing to Cogeo Gate 2 in Antipolo (2) At Cogeo Gate 2, take jeep and get off at ‘Batangasan’ junction where there is an entrance arch for Brgy. San Andres (3) Take a habal-habal to the barangay (P150/person).Alternatively, travel to Tanay, Rizal and take the twice-daily jeep (1200H, 1700H? – please confirm) that goes to Brgy. Sta. InesApproximately 2-3 hours travel time because of various stops and delays. Private. Follow the Marcos highway to reach the Batangasan junction. Park there and take a habal-habal to Sta. Ines, or if you have a 4×4, you can go all the way to Sta. Ines. There are several river crossings though and the rivers swell after heavy rains so I wouldn’t advise it. Approximately 1.5-2.5 hours travel time.

Registration

Note: Prior written permit must be secured beforehand. The permit can be coordinated over the phone with the numbers below, and can also be done by email (tanaymenro@gmail.com) 1 week before the hike proper. Include a “letter of intent”, the names of your participants, and a contact number. The written permit will then be handed to you during the hike.

Approaching the forests of Mt. Irid
with Mt. Tukduan Banoi at the background

Past the campsite, the trail is forested and rocky

Spectacular views atop Mt. Irid’s summit

View of the Banahaw Trilogy from the Mt. Irid trail

Kinabuan Falls, a sidetrip possibility just a few minutes off the trail

TRIVIA
Though there have always been trails in and around Mt. Irid, we acknowledge the efforts of Simpson Domoguen and other mountaineers for pioneering the recent spate of hiking activities (2010-present) in Mt. Irid and Mt. Tukduan Banoi.

This itinerary is based on the blogger’s dayhike up Mt. Irid in June 10, 2015 (see Hiking matters #467, forthcoming).